VIN
Vehicle
Identification
Number
It is, for several reasons important, that a car can be identified, for this reason each car has a VIN.
According to the book "Standard Catalog Of American
Cars" I will try to show,
what the VIN can tell us about the car:
The very first Stutz shows the following VIN:
276579P147558
2: The first symbol indicates
GM division, 2 is "Pontiac".
76: The second and third symbol
indicate the model-series, 76 is "Grand Prix".
57: The fourth and fifth symbol
indicate the body style, there are no Grand Prix Sedans, a Grand Prix was
only available as a Coupé, so 57 stand for 2-dr HardTop Coupé,
5 seats.
9: The sixth symbol shows model
year, 9 stands for 1969
P: The seventh symbol indicates
the assembly plant,
P is Pontiac, Michigan
A is Atlanta
147558: The serial number itself,
starting with # 100001.
For the model year 1972 the VIN-code was slightly changed.
For example:
2K57Y2A105065
2: The first symbol still indicates
the General Motors division, 2 is "Pontiac"
K: The second symbol, an alphabetical
one, indicates the model-series,
K - "Grand Prix"
For the model-year 1976, they
made a minor change.
The second symbol, still indicating
the model, showed now a
J for Grand Prix, and a
K for Grand Prix SJ
In 1977 they added another model-letter,
J - Grand Prix
K - Grand Prix LJ
H - Grand Prix SJ
In 1978 Pontiac downsized the
Grand Prix, so Stutz had to use "old" cars, until they presented in 1979
a renewed Blackhawk, best recognized showing a new rear (lights above the
bumber).
The renewed models show a "N"
as second symbol of the VIN, this indicates, that the car is based on a
Pontiac Bonneville.
57: The third and fourth symbol
indicates the body style, still a 2-dr HardTop Coupé, 5seater
In 1979, after changing the
base-car, you can find the following symbols:
37 - 2dr, coupé
69 - 4dr, 4 window sedan
Y: The fifth symbol is engine
related.
"Y" indicates a V8; 455ci, 4
carburetors, 250hp, dual exhaust
"W" indicates a V8; 455ci, 4carburetors,
215hp
"K" indicates a V8; 403ci, 4
carburetors, 185hp
In 1979 they used a "R" to indicate
a V8, 350ci, 4carburetors, 160hp
2: The sixth symbol indicates
the model-year
A: The seventh symbol indicates
the assembly-plant
A for Atlanta
P for Pontiac
X for Fairfax, Kansas
105065: Serial number, starting
at 100,001
In 1981 the Vin-code was changed again...
For example:
2G2AN69Y8B1707134
2: the first symbol indicates
country
1 - USA
2 - Canada
G: second symbol indicates manufacturer,
"G" is General Motors
2: the third symbol indicates
again the division,
2 - Pontiac
3 - Oldsmobile
6 - Cadillac
A: fourth symbol indicates restraint
system,
A - manual (standard)
N: fifth symbol indicates model,
D - DeVille
N - Bonneville, if it is a Pontiac;
Delta 88 Royale, if it is an Oldsmobile
S - Pontiac Firebird
W - Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
69: sixth and seventh symbol
indicates body-type,
21 - ???
37 - 2dr, coupé
69 - 4dr, 4 window sedan
87 - 2dr, hardtop coupé
Y: eigth symbol indicates engine,
Y - V8, 307ci, 4 carburetors
9 - V8, 368ci, DFI
8: ninth symbol is a check digit
B: tenth symbol indicates model-year,
starting with
A - 1980
B - 1981
C - 1982
D - 1983
E - 1984
F - 1985
G - 1986
H - 1987
1: eleventh symbol indicates
assembly-plant,
L - Van Nuys, CA
M - Lansing, Michigan
N - Norwood, Ohio
1 - Oshawa, Ontario
9 - Detroit
707134: serial number
I hope, that you found through this..., it's a bit complicated, but very interesting...
